Truck



Juge 11, 1929. I L, E, MLSON 1,116,611

TRUCK Filed May 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 3111111111101- Zozw E Zynom s@ www.

Patented June 11, 1929.

PATENT oFFlcE.

. Leurs n. WILsoN, enRoCHEsTER; rfrrivuusOTA;v

TRUCK.

Appleman mea may 1,6, 1923, serial No; s39,415.

This invention relates generally to trucks; y

and .relates more particularly Wto, trucks adapted to be pushed or drawn by hand.

In the class of trucks known as handtrucks7 there are two types which have been in general use for a long time.` One of these types is the tilting twowheel truclt some times called a warehouse truck and the other is the push truck with 'four-Wheels, two

of which are castor wheels. Ea'chof these types has advantages, but is limited in use. Thetilting.two-wheel type of truck is particularly adapted to carry ,heavy bullry articles such as heavy boxes, barrels and bags, but is not adapted to carry small packages while the' four-wheel push truck is Well adapted tocarry small packages, but is not very satisfactory wijlen used to carry heavy articles, especially those of largev bulli. p One' ot the objects ol' .this invention to providea truck Whi'chcombines in one truckv all the advantages and essential features of several types oftrucls'.-

' Another object of this invention is to provide a truck which can- 'be readily'converted from one type of truck to another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truck which may be used as a two- Wheeled'tilting truck or as ,aT four-wheeled push truck. u y

lVith the foregoing general objects in view, as Well as someotl'iers that will be obvious as the description proceeds, the invention comprises .the features, `details of construction and combinations .of parts which will lirst befdescribed inconnection with anillustrative Vcrnbodiinent ot' the broad principles of theinventionin an especially desirable specific.construction, and will then be more particularly pointed out in the ap'-` pen'ded claims.

The accompanyingdrawings Vforminga v part hereof show particularly advantageous practical tormswhich ,theA broadl .invention may take.4 In these` dfrswings,

vFig-.;l is a top plan view ot a truclcem-y bodying the invent-ion Awith the detachable beder'platliorm removed. n y Y Fig. 2 is a perspective viewA the bed orl platform standing .on end, showing principally the underside `.of the hedor platform.` `Fig. El isa perspective view. of the tru'clr withtlie bedA or platform attached, i i

Figa is a longitudinal sectional vieW,

horizontal position.`

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a mod ilied body structure, and f Figs 6 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views showing a modilication in the means of attaching the bed or platform to the truck. y, Generally stated, the new andv improved truck comprises a frame providediat one end with an axle and supporting Wheels andat the otherend with grip handles andA castor wheels, and a. platform,provided withl combined package supports and handle bars, detachably securedto said frame whereby the truck may bensed as a tv woswheeledtilting truclcor asa four-wheele'dfpush truck. t l

`Referring toA the drawings, l() indicates generally the truclrlirame comprising longi tudinal side pieces ll and cross-pieces l2y secured or joined tothe side pieces ll by any suitable means.` Adjacentends of `the side pieces ll are providedwith grip/handles 13, the ends of the side pieces yopposite the handlesfbeing connected by a toe plate or tip 14.' The end of the frame Whichf carries the toe plate is supported yby Wheels l5 mounted on an aXle 16' carried by the sidepiecesl'Q; Cross, pieces `19. are connected. and braced by a" longitudinal brace piece or member 17 se@ cured to the cross pieces by screwsorotlier suitable means. The partsy above described make up a truck ofthe tilting two-wheel type, sometimes. known as a warehouse truck. As explainedy beforey this vtyper of truck is well" suited to carry heavy bagS, boxes and barrels, but 1s not suited to carry smaller lightpackages, partly because smallpackagesavill fall through theopenlraine `and partly because the packagescannot'be stacked. on the truck without falling'olf when thev truck is propelled,-eispecially` since this type ol truck is tippedvvh'enit is ypushed yor pulled about. y, Y

' In o rder tomalie tepping' 'of the truck to propel. f it unnecessary, the ytruck frame provided with castors i8 mounted atA the handle end oli the iframeto permit the. truck to beused. as a four-wheel truck, thecastorsr "allowing thetrucli to be steered orv guided in any,` direction., The wl'i'eels 15' and castors 1,8 support the truck 'frame in" a substantially y Inf ordery to permit packages to, be stacked or piled on the truck without daifigerjoi accidentally falling o andals'o toali'ordasol-id. support for the4 sameya bed or 'nlat'foim 19K,` is provided, saidv bed or platform adapted to be detachably secured to the truck fran e. Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and Il, the bed or platform 19 com'- prises in the present example a solid planesurfaced rectangular member Which may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, steel, etc. Then made of wood, the bed or platform can be iliade in one piece or it can be made of strips of Wood glued together and reinforced by clamping rods which also hold the strips together. As shown in Fig. 3, when attached to the truck frame 1U, the bed or platform 19 rests on the longitudinal side pieces l1 covering` the entire frame except, of course, the handles 13. Each end of the platform or bed 19 is provided with combined package support and handle bar 2l). This may be of any suitable constructkm, although the construction shown is preferable because of its simplicity and cheapness. ln the example illustrated, each combined support and handle bar 2O comprises a section of pipe bent in the shape of a il, with the ends of the ll threaded into bases or supports 21, secured by screws or other suitable :fastening means to the bed or platform. One or more cross rods 22 connect the arms of cach of the U-shaped end members to brace the arms and to prevent small packages from slippingl through the end members. lVhen used as a four Wheel truck, the end members 2O not only act as end guards to support'paekagcs Which are stacked thereatgainst but also as convenient means to be grasped by the hands when propelling thek truck. p

leans for easily and quickly attaching and detaching `the bed or platform to or from the truck are provided. The bed or platform 19 is secured to the truck frame 10 by thrusting the bed or platform toward one end of the truck, means being provided to prevent disengagement of such securing means. Referringr to Figs. 2 and Ll, the underside of the bed or platform i9 vis provided at one end With abutment brackets or stops indicated generally by 23. ln the e5;- ample illustrated, two such brackets are shown in lalignment 'transversely of the bed or platfo un. Each bracket is substantially L shaped, with one arm 24, formin` a base portion, secured to the platform `or bed 19 by screws, rivets, bolts or other suitable fas toning` means. The otherarm of each bracket depends or projects fromthe bed or platform, forming` an abutment or stop, the projecting` end being provided with hook portion 26. `When the bed or platform 19' isin position to be secured to the truck frame 10, the arms 25 of brackets 23 depend or project from the underside of the bed or platform. When it isA desired to attach the bed or platform 19 to the truck frame `10, the end of the platform or bed carrying the abutment brackets is pushed or thrust toward the end of the truck frame carrying the axle and supporting Wheels until the abutment brackets engage the axlel. ln this position arms 25 ofthe brackets Will prevent further longitudinal movement of the bed or platform in the direction of thrust and hook-portions 26 will hook under the axle 16 'to prevent movement of the bed or platform up or away from the truck frame. (See Fig. db The bed or platform 19 is provided with handhelds 27 to provide convenient means for graspingv and holdingthe bed lor platform in the attaching or detachiupI operation.

lrlcans are also provided for preventing accidental disengagement of the securing means provided at one end of the truck and for securing the other end of the bed or platform to the truck. Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, 2S indicates a lever pivoted at 29 to the underside of the bed or platform 19, near one end of the latter. One end of a link is pivotally connected to the swinging end of lever 28, the other end of the link being` connected by a loose connection to a hook 31. Link 30 passes through a supporting eye or guide 32, attached to the bed or platform, the supporting eye or guide permitting sliding and swinging movement of link 30. Hook 31 is adapted to engage means carriedby the truck frame to thereby secure the platform or bed to the truck at that point. In the example shown, this means takes the form of an'eye 33 screwed or bolted to brace member 17 of the truck frame. lf desired, the hook and lever could be placed onthc truck frame and the eye placed on the bed or platform. Lever 28 is placed in the yposition shown in Fig. 2, that is, thrown toward one side ofthe bed or platform When it is desired to engage the hook 31 in the eye 33.

ln attaching the bed or platform to the truck frame, the bed or platform is placed onthe frame and then pushed or thrust toward the toe end of the truck until the abutment `brackets engage the truck axle. Hook 31 is thenengaged or hooked in eye 33 and lever 28 is swung or moved until connecting link 30 just passes pivot point 29 of lever 28; A stop or abutmentpin 3f attached to the bed or platform holds the'lever in this position. 'lt Will be observedthat swinging of lever728 causes a movement of hook 31 away from eye 33 sothat the bed or platform is pulled-toward the axle end of the truck and abutmentbrackets 2B are held in lirmengagement with axle 16. Thus it Will be seen that the securingmeans at the handle end of the truck notu only prevents accidental disengagement of the securing means at the axle end ofthe truck, but it' also secures the handle end of the bed or platform te the truck frame.' The securing means at the o posi-te ends of the trucky act in opposite ci lll() lll) ' rections, thatis, kone prevents longitudinal movement of the bed or platform relative to the truck frame in one direction and the other prevents such'movement inthe opposite direction.

rlhe underside of the bed r platform 19 is provided near Vone end with side lugs or brackets which engage the inner sides of side pieces 11 when the bed or platform is mounted on the truck frame to prevent lateral movement of the bed or platforml relative to the frame.

Fig. shows'a modification in the construction of the bed `or platform 19. In this construction, the end members Y2() are high! er than those shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and form frame members for a caged or screened in body comprising ends 36 and 37, top 38, side 39 and hinged side members 40, 41 and 42. As shown, the sides, ends, and topare made of screening secured to the frame members, but it is obvious that the walls of the body can be made solid and of any suitable material, such as wood or steel. Side mem bers or doors 40 and 42 are each vertically7 pivoted `to an endv member 20, the swinging ends of these side members meeting when swung to closed position to close one side of the body. Suitable locking means are provided to lock side members 40 and 42 in closed position and thereby prevent unauthorized entry into the body. Side member or guard'41 is fitted in the side of the body normally closed by pivoted side members 40 and 42 to prevent packages piled or stacked up iu the body from tumbling` out when the doors are opened. Side member 41 is connected to end members 2O by detachable connections 43 and 44.' By releasing connections 44, side member 41 may be swung on a horizontal axis with connections 43 as the pivot points, to make it possible toy conven iently reach packages at the bottom of the body. Side member or package guard 41 need not extend the entireway from base to top, but, as shown in the drawing, extends only part of the way from the base to the top. A body such as vdescribed above is especiall y useful and desirable when trucking or transporting valuable merchandise or mail matter as the body can be loaded and locked' and then later attached toa truck frame for transportation. p

Figs. 6 and 7 show avmodilication. inthe means for attaching one end ofthe bed or platform 1S) to the jliruck frame. As shown in Fig. (3, the toe 141 .is provided with lugs 45 projecting toward the handle end of the truck. In the example illustrated, lugs 45 are integral with the toe and are formed by return bends of the metal composing the toe, but it is obvious that these lugs could be formed by casting, etc. Lugs 45 are soy formed on toe' 141 that when the toe is mounted on the Atruck frame, a space between the projecting 'lugs and the side pieces 11 correspondingv to Athe approximate thickness of the bed or platform 19 is provided. The bed or platform is secured to the truck frame by pushing or thrusting one end of the bed or platform under the projecting lugs 45 causingthe bed or platform to wedge under the projecting lugs of the toe. The handle end of the vbed or platform is then secured to the. truck frame as previously described. As shown in' Fig. 7, one end of the bed or platform 19 is rprovided with recesses 46 adapted to receive vthe toe 141 to form a more secure engagement of the toe with the bed or platform.

Claims:

1. A combination truck comprising an open supporting framework providedat one end with an axle and supporting wheels and at the other endy with grip handles and castors, a removable platform, said platform provided at one end with hook-shaped brackets engaging said axle, and means at the other end of said platform for attaching said end of the platform to the framework and. for holding said brackets in engagement with said axle.

2. A combination truck comprising an open supporting framework provided at one end with an axle and supporting wl eels and at t ie other end with grip handles and` castors, a removable platform, said platform being provided at one end with hook-shaped brackets engaging vsaid axle, means at the other ond of said platform for connecting the platform to the framework, and means for tightening such connection.

3. A combination truck comprising an open supporting framework provided at one end with an axle and supporting wheels and at the other end with grip handles and castors, a removable platform, saidI platform being provided at one end with hook-shaped brackets engaging said axle, a lever carried bysaid platform, and a hook connected to said lever, said hook engaging means carried by the framework to connect the plat-` form to the framework.

4. A combination truck comprising an open supporting framework provided atV one end with an axle and supporting wheels and at the other end with grip handles and castors, a removable platform, said platform being provided at one end with` hook-shaped rbrackets engaging said axle, means for preother end with grip handles and. castors, a

the lother end with grip handles and eeetois, @removable platform, said platform provided with combined package supporting members and handle bers, Suid platform. provided :11': one end with hook-shaped brackets engaging seid axle to Secure said end of the plaform to he truck, and means; for preventing disengagement of such seeuring menne mdfor securing the other end of the platform to the framework.

In testimony whereof I hereuno ailix my Signature.

LOUIS E. WILSON. 

